In Cold Blood
by LadyNaore
Summary: (AeriSeph) What if Sephiroth had rebelled against Jenova at the end of the game? What if he had a second chance to atone for his sins? And what if Aerith was sent to guide him?
1. Chapter 1: Grip of the Devil

In Cold Blood

By Stephy

-----

Disclaimer: Don't own anything but a creaky bed and a bouquet of dead roses. 

-----

_Happiness is just a word to me, and it might have meant a thing or two if I'd known the difference._

_Emptiness, a lonely parody, and my life, another smokin' gun, a sign of my indifference._

_Always keepin' safe inside, where no one ever had a chance to penetrate a break in._

_Let me tell you some have tried, but I would slam the door so tight that they could never get in._

_Kept my cool under lock and key, and I never shed a tear, another sign of my condition._

_Fear of love or bitter vanity that kept me on the run, the main events at my confession…_

_I kept a chain upon my door that would shake the shame of Cain into a blind submission._

_The burning ghost without a name _

_Was calling all the same _

_But I wouldn't listen…_

-"Gotta Knock a Little Harder" Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop Movie ST)

-----

The sudden urge to kill…it was there again. The horrible craving for blood, it was consuming him, burning in his soul. Sephiroth lashed out at the empty air in the Northern Crater, finding no victims to satisfy his need for carnage.

"Damn!" He fell to one knee, clutching his chest. "Why?"

"Damn you to hell!"

"DAMN YOUR HEARTLESSNESS, JENOVA!"

The silver haired man fought his inner demon, to no avail. Jenova merely laughed, a hideous, inhumane laugh; the laugh of the devil.

My son… I am your mother… 

A stabbing pain etched into Sephiroth's chest, and he clutched it harder. 

Do not speak to me in that way, my son… 

The invisible pain only grew worse…

You are my flesh and blood… 

"Shut…up…" He gurgled up a small amount of blood, spilling over the rim of his mouth, staining his chin red. "You…are not my mother… pitiless bitch…"

My son… my puppet… I may not be that horrid bitch of Hojo's… but I am a part of you… 

The pain only grew worse, as Sephiroth found it harder and harder to keep consciousness.

You are the key to my godlihood! 

Blood flowing, and Jenova's eerie laugh sounding, Sephiroth faded into the darkness.

His darkness…

Filled with the nightmares of the greatest sinner to grace the Planet.

The sinner who gave Jenova her puppet…

-----

"They're coming!" Tifa yelled to her comrades. They were deep in the bowels of the Planet; the Lifestream was clearly visible below the precipice on which they stood. An unholy army of monsters thrashed down the path they had followed. Time was running out.

Cloud thought for a split second, "Cid, Vincent, come with me! Everyone else, hold off the monsters!" His fellow party members nodded to him, and as the pilot and raven-haired one ran with Cloud further down the path, the onslaught of monsters hit.

-----

Wake up… 

Sephiroth coughed; the bitter taste of dried blood rested in his mouth. He came to, and opened his eyes.

_Get up. They're almost here._

"No…" He sat up, and held his head, "Fuck you, I refuse to be your toy!"

I'm growing impatient with those remarks of yours, Sephiroth… 

"Bitch…you have no respect for life… this is not what I was created for!!"

Ah, but weren't you? 

"No! You cold-blooded bitch… how many lives have ended at my hand, because of you… how dare you call yourself my mother…"

You love the thrill of spilling blood… 

"Stop putting words into my mouth!!" Sephiroth jumped up, and slashed at the thin air with Masamune again, breathing heavily, "I hate you…"

Oh, son, I'm hurt…you hate the only one who ever cared for you! I'm the only thing you have in this world, boy! Remember that! NO ONE ELSE will care for you as I do.

"You never cared. Bite your tongue, liar." Voices could be heard above, and Sephiroth smirked, "They've arrived, dear bitch. They will kill you."

Oh? You sound so unconfident in me, son. And even if they kill me, they'll come after you, next. After all, you did kill their Cetra bitch.

Sephiroth winced at the memory, as a familiar pain in his heart stabbed through. "You killed Aeris. And you used me as the reaper's scythe."

The voices grew louder. Jenova slowly released her hold on Sephiroth.

I will kill them. And I will be back… dear son… 

Her presence faded away towards the group of heroes above. Sephiroth was left alone in a rare moment of peace. Jenova had awakened those feelings again…those all-too-familiar feelings deep within his heart. He remembered that day all too well.

"Of all the people she should have had me kill…" He shook his head sadly, "Why did she make me kill you?" He let out a melancholy sigh. He could hear the cries of battle above; and quite unfortunately for Jenova, it sounded like Avalanche was winning.

He knew they would come after him next. It was inevitable. But he wanted to die. His fears didn't rest with death…

They rested with another thought. Jenova cells flowed within his body. After Jenova was killed, she would most likely come to him….turn him into some horrid monster…

He was going to die without a shred of dignity.

-----

"METEORAIN!!!" Cloud unleashed an attack on the already weak Jenova. That was all it took for the giant monstrosity to finally die. She screamed a terrible cry of inhuman pain as her body melted away in a red mass.

"Holy fuckin' shit…" Cid shook his head, "Now, tell me oh great leader, is that the last of the Jenovas?"

Cloud nodded, sheathing the Ultimate Weapon. "Now, all that's left is Sephiroth."

-----

Sephiroth laughed smugly. They had defeated that evil witch, after all, had they? He was happy for them. The Planet would be saved, after his existence was erased as well. He simply waited for Jenova to return…But he couldn't feel her presence. He wondered for a moment, but was interrupted by the 'heroes of the day.'

"Sephiroth." Cloud pulled out his sword, "We've come to end this."

He stood up, dropping Masamune to the cold ground. He stared at the three standing before him. 

"You've already ended the threat to this Planet. Holy will come soon. If you wish, you may stay here to kill me in the same cold-blood in which I killed so many…" 

"Is he jokin or somethin?" Cid spat onto the ground, "Look, boy, we come to kick your ass!"

Cloud laughed grimly, "You expect us to believe that you aren't a threat to this Planet?"

"I don't expect you to believe anything." He shook his head, "But I speak the truth."

Cloud growled, "Like hell you are!" He moved to strike at the silver-haired man before him, but a cold claw rested upon his shoulder. He turned around to look at Vincent. "Why are you holding me back? Don't you understand?! He's going to kill us all if we don't kill him!"

Vincent shook his head, "Cloud... I believe him. I believe his words. We've killed Jenova, and I believe that her hold upon him is gone. Let him be, Cloud. If you kill him you will be no better than the monster that destroyed your home. And Aeris."

Cid's cigarette fell from his lips, "Holy fuck, that's the most I've ever hear that vampire say at once…"

Cloud stood frozen for a moment, before sighing heavily, and sheathing his weapon. He turned to look at his adversary, "You say Holy is free, now?"

Sephiroth nodded, "The Cetra's prayer is being answered. We should leave, otherwise we'll all die here."

-----

"That should be the last of 'em." Barret looked at his teammates.

"I hope I never see a monster again in my life." Yuffie groaned, casting a cure spell upon herself. Tifa mused solemnly for a moment, and was taken from her reverie when she heard voices coming up the cliff.

Cloud, Vincent, Cid…and another person… was that Sephiroth?!


	2. Chapter 2: Sephiroth's Remorse

Authors Note:   OK OK you people convinced me! The story will go on!!!  J

In Cold Blood

Chapter: 2

_Even those who are gone ___

_Are with us as we go on _

_Your journey has only begun. _

_Tears of pain, tears of joy _

_One thing nothing can destroy _

_Is our pride, deep inside _

_We are one_.

"We Are One" _(TLK2: Simba's Pride)_

-----

The wind blew ever so gently through the ex-general's silver hair as he stood upon the deck of the Highwind. He no longer felt Jenova's grasp on his will, and quite ironically, it left him with a sense of emptiness.

He was alone. And this realization gripped his heart in an iron vice. As evil as Jenova was, at least she was there. Sephiroth hated this feeling inside him. For years, ever since that fateful night in Nibelhiem, Jenova had been a constant presence within him. Even though her defeat meant he could once again think for himself… he missed having someone to talk to.

AVALANCHE, as expected, kept quite a distance from him. He was surprised that they let him on his ship. They were afraid of him, and this made Sephiroth snicker. The only person who had any sense in that group of imbeciles was the vampirish one… Vincent, he believed was his name. Sephiroth had almost a respect for the man, simply because he was once a victim of Hojo… and he resembled himself in so many withdrawn ways.

Sephiroth took a deep breath of the fresh air he had been deprived of for so long in that damp, moldy crater. He sat down on the deck floor, resting on his forearms with legs half-bent before him, and he gazed into the sky. The sky… Meteor was gone, defeated at the hands of Holy and the Lifestream, and the sky became healthy again. The stars shone for the first time in ages, with a bright full moon as the focus point.

Sephiroth admired the sky, and he thought. He thought of his sins, he remorsed for his mistakes at the hands of Jenova. 

He remorsed his greatest sin. For what sin is greater than to kill the one you love, in cold, heartless blood? Defenseless against the might of his blade, and unbeknownst to her doom.

Or… had she known all along? Had the girl known her fate, and offered herself as a martyr to Jenova to summon the Planet's savior?

Sephiroth let out a heavy sigh, lying back onto the wooden deck, hands folded upon his chest. Why was he thinking of her so much? Why did his thoughts wander so much? She was dead.

Yes, she was dead. He had to accept that. Didn't he? He had no choice, did he? She was dead, therefore she did not exist.

She was dead at his hands.

Therefore, she did not exist any more.

She did not exist.

Sephiroth could have sworn he felt a hot tear escape his eyelid and travel down his slender cheeks, but he did not have time to ponder this, for he fell asleep seconds afterward. 

-----

So many happy voices surrounded her in the Lifestream, so why was Aerith so melancholy? 

Sitting on the soft ground of the Promised Land, amongst her flower gardens, Aerith closed her eyes and sighed a heavy sigh.

She saved the Planet; she was in the Promised Land… why was she sad?

Why did Aerith feel as if she left something undone? Or perhaps someone? She almost felt… guilty at this moment. And the part that made her crazy was the fact that she didn't know _why_ she felt this way.

"Planet, guide me, please," Aerith pleaded. In the Promised Land, the Planet's voice was much clearer, and it made its conversations to the Cetra go much smoother. Aerith flopped on her back, sending flower petals fluttering around her. "Help me figure myself out."

Child… I cannot say. But follow your heart.

"Follow my heart?" Aerith mused, "No offense… but I'm dead… isn't it a little late for that?"

Heart does not die like body does… my child, you should know that. Look upon those that you've left behind.

"I have, Planet." Aerith smiled, "Cloud and Tifa are engaged, Barret and Marlene moved to Kalm with mom—"

_No…_ the Planet interrupted, _look upon one you haven't looked upon._

"One I haven't looked upon…" Aerith sighed, closing her eyes. "My dearest friend, you speak in riddles."

The Planet laughed, _Child, you will understand in time. Follow your heart. Somebody down there needs you, guide him…_

"_Him_? Hey, wait a minute!" Aerith called, bolting into standing position, head leaned to the bright, starry sky. But Planet did not answer. "HEY! Come back here, you! You can't just leave me hanging like this! Come on!" She giggled, "Get back here!"

Follow your heart. What did the Planet mean? Who was the man she was to help? Aerith sighed, realizing that even the dead get no rest.


	3. Chapter 3: Choices

In Cold Blood Chapter: 3  
  
-----  
  
Author's Note: You may wonder why I use so much Lion King lyrics and such. But it's easy to compare Kovu in TLK2 to Sephy in FF7... the crazy mother and evil motives and such. The puppetry. Yeah. So sue me, I happen to love the Lion King! I love my Andy more (I write for you honey!) Well enjoy!!  
  
-----  
  
Born in grief  
Raised in hate  
Helpless to defy his fate  
Let him run  
Let him live  
  
But do not forget what we cannot forgive...  
  
"One Of Us" (TLK2)  
  
-----  
  
Sephiroth nodded in thanks to the members of AVALANCHE, who were, to be honest, very relieved that he didn't ask one of them for shelter. Instead, he had asked to be let off in Costa del Sol, where he claimed to own a villa.  
  
Naturally, none questioned him. They wanted him off their ship. Some wanted him dead, namely Cloud. But they kept their feelings quiet at the request of Vincent, who, quite strangely, trusted the ex-general. At this point, who cared? He was leaving, and the party could go on and celebrate their victory over Jenova and Meteor.  
  
Out of the group of 'heroes,' it was only Vincent who worried what was to become of Sephiroth. He looked on from the ascending airship as the silver- haired man disappeared into the town.  
  
-----  
  
Aerith walked through a vast flower field, pondering over what Planet had told her. "Who am I supposed to help? What can I do to solve this?"  
  
She continued to peer into the starry skies, thoughts wandering back to her last days.  
  
Realization kicked in. Aerith felt herself suddenly become very, very sick.  
  
"PLANET!!! You can't be serious!? You can't expect me to help him can you?!" Aerith screamed into the stars, tears forming at her eyelids. This wasn't fair! She gave her life to the Planet, and now that she had a chance to be at peace, to spend time with her parents and the other Cetra, she was expected to help the one who killed her?!  
  
The Planet kept silent as its daughter cried. Aerith shook her head, "How can I help him? Why should I help him?"  
  
Planet spoke. Watch him for a moment, my child. He is not the same.  
  
Aerith closed her eyes, and concentrated. In her mind, the Planet showed her Sephiroth.  
  
-----  
  
Sephiroth had forgotten he had bought this villa during his SOLDIER days. It had been years since he had set foot in it, and you could easily tell. Dust was caked on the furniture, there was moldy old food in the refrigerator, and when Sephiroth went to take a shower, the water ran a rusty yellow for ten whole minutes until it finally cleared up.  
  
'Well,' he thought, 'I guess this is home.'  
  
He lay on his bed, spread-eagle, staring up at the ceiling. It had felt great to finally shower, to wash away the blood and dirt that had collected on his body for months. Under Jenova's control, there was no time to clean himself. He had sometimes wondered what was deadlier: his Masamune, or his stench.  
  
He lay for what seemed to be hours. His thoughts were wandering again, as they had been since Jenova had died. 'Aerith...'  
  
There were times that Jenova would let Sephiroth rest, without her control on his mind, and during those times, Sephiroth remembered, he would sneak to where AVALANCHE was camping for the night. He would remain in the shadows, watching the one that made his heart jump. 'It was kind of stalker- like,' he thought, 'but if things were different...'  
  
'If things were different, if Jenova wasn't there, I could have gone to her. We could have had a normal life. I would have had a chance of holding that beautiful vixen in my unworthy arms...' Sephiroth let out a heavy sigh, closing his weary, misty eyes.  
  
'But I never had a chance. My love is dead...'  
  
"I'm sorry, my Aerith." He whispered, falling into a deep slumber.  
  
-----  
  
Aerith's eyes and mouth were wide with shock. "My friend, please tell me that was an illusion."  
  
No, dearest daughter, it was not.  
  
"He... he had a crush on me. How cute..." Aerith giggled slightly, "I never would have expected that from someone like him."  
  
Child, will you help him?  
  
"I guess I have to." Aerith sighed, "What do I have to do?"  
  
He must atone for his sins. You must help to guide him. You will return and live again, with him.  
  
"LIVE with HIM?! Are you delirious!? How can I trust him? How do I know he won't hurt me again?!"  
  
You do not know, child, but I do. It is not a matter of trusting him, he will earn it in time. But you must trust me.  
  
Aerith was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She took a deep breath, "Okay, I'll do it. When do I go back?"  
  
When you are ready my child, use your White Materia to return.  
  
"It can be used for that? I never knew..."  
  
Because I never told you, the Planet laughed.  
  
Aerith smiled and shook her head, "I love you my dear friend. I will leave in the morning."  
  
Planet became silent again, and Aerith lay on the soft grass once more, looking up into the stars until sleep overtook her thoughtful mind. Her rest would be much needed, for in the morning, her life would begin anew. 


	4. Chapter 4: Dawn Brings New Beginnings

*A note for my readers* ^___^ Thank you for your constant support and reviews! I beg you all to keep patient; I know there are a lot of things that don't quite make sense at the moment (ex: why Seph likes Aerith) but I assure you, things will begin to explain themselves and come together as the story moves on. Also I have noticed that things in the document itself are changed upon uploading to FF.net (italics and other text effects, mostly), please bear with me on this.  
  
----- Where vessels glide In silky waves and of gold Deep in the gulf such planet lies  
  
Surrounded by this universe Of love and hate Confusion breaks through and dwells.  
  
-Voices (Macross Plus)  
  
-----  
  
The first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon of the Promised Land. Aerith had found it hard to rest, so she sat up for most of the night, peering at the stars. In fact, she was asleep for no more than an hour when the sunlight woke her. Sitting up and feeling her stomach sink into her bottom, she sighed, definitely not looking forward to this day. Carefully, she unraveled her pink ribbon and released her White materia, catching it in her palm and holding it for a moment, deep in thought. "Planet, my friend, I hope you know what you're doing." Aerith sighed, grasping her materia and gazing at the pink sunrise.  
  
Quietly, Aerith closed her eyes and concentrated, slowly fading into the sky, beginning yet another mission for her Planet.  
  
-----  
  
Sephiroth lay on his side for seemingly hours, having awoken in the night and been unable to fall back asleep. He stood up and walked to his window, leaning over to rest his elbows on the sill, watching the sky lighten with the promise of dawn. "A new day," he whispered to himself, feeling dread at the thought of interacting with the same people in which he had instilled fear and loathing for years. How would he ever live a normal life when every living being on this Planet feared him, hated him, or even both?  
  
He couldn't. He had realized this during the night, thus was why he was so restless. He would never be given a chance to redeem himself, to find friends, to find love, to bring up children in a peaceful world. A peaceful world, which was only threatened because of him.  
  
No... because of Jenova. She ruined his life along with any chance of him leading a normal, healthy life. Damn her... damn Hojo... damn them all in Sephiroth's eyes.  
  
Perhaps it would have been better for Strife to have killed him in the crater. Perhaps death would have been a lesser punishment than to live a lonely, secluded life.  
  
He sighed a deep, melancholy sigh as the rising sun spilled over the ocean. It was truly a curse, his birth. From the time of his very conception he was nothing more than an experiment, a 'puppet' for ShinRa then, and later to become Jenova's vessel.  
  
Hojo was his father, he knew... but he always wondered who his mother was. It wasn't that alien bitch, it would be impossible... his mother was indeed human. She was dead, no doubt... but he just wish he had had a chance to meet his mother, to find out if she had planned on being Hojo's experiment, or if she was just as much a victim as he was. Even, perhaps, maybe Hojo wasn't his father...  
  
Indeed, Sephiroth thought, his life was one filled with mystery. Maybe that was why fate led him back to living his life; maybe his true mission was to solve the great mystery that was his existence.  
  
He peered into the rising sun, and much to his amazement he saw a figure manifest itself in the sunlight. Shocked, he backed away from the window, tripped and fell on his bed. Sitting wide-eyed like a child, he saw a figure take form before him, fading from a ghostly translucent to a solid form. The form...  
  
A pink dress, flowing chestnut hair, shining green eyes...  
  
Sephiroth, in one of the very few shows of weakness he had ever performed, fainted back into his bed, leaving behind a very confused and amused Aerith. 


	5. Chapter 5: A Cold Rag

Hear me queen of light  
  
Help me through the night  
  
And deep inside  
  
Missing links are hurting...  
-E-rotic: Queen of Light  
  
-----  
  
Sephiroth was aware of very few sensations as he began to awaken. He was aware that he was lying upon something soft. Rather... he was lying in his bed, blankets and all. Just what in the hell happened?  
  
Ah, he knew what was happening. He had dreamt the fiasco from this morning. It was just a dream. He was going to wake up and be in his room, alone.  
  
Yes, he thought as he opened his eyes, he was going to be—  
  
"Hello, Sephiroth." Aerith looked down at him, with laughing eyes and an equally laughing mouth. She giggled at Sephiroth's gaping mouth as she laid a cold rag on his forehead.  
  
"Aerith?" He blinked, unbelieving at the sight before him. She was here! She was alive! It wasn't a dream!! "What... how..."  
  
"The Planet sent me. It's a long story." Aerith smiled and sat on a chair beside his bed, still amused at the rare sight before her; the Great Sephiroth, who fainted before her, lay tucked in his bed like a child, wide- eyed and wide-jawed at the very sight of her. Wow, had the Planet been right or what?  
  
"Well, I have time." Sephiroth cleared his throat, determined to make an attempt at proving to her that he was, indeed, strong. Not weak. No, never weak. He sat up and looked down at her shorter form, eyes aglow with curiosity and the remaining surprise at her return.  
  
Aerith sighed. "Basically, now that you're free of Jenova, the Planet knows that you need help to rebuild your life. It sent me to guide you."  
  
Silence. Sephiroth stared at her, "So, does that mean you could help me answer some of my questions?"  
  
"Questions about what?"  
  
"Many things... my past, mostly." Sephiroth felt the soppy rag on his forehead suddenly lose its hold and slide down his face, landing in his lap. Aerith laughed and he stared daggers down at her. She paused for a moment, and then burst out laughing again. "Ah, so this is just a big joke to you, Cetra?" He smirked evilly and whipped the wet rag at her, only to have her dodge it, leaving the rag to hit the window with a wet *splat.*  
  
"So this is the thanks I get for giving up my afterlife to help you, of all people?" Aerith smirked, "I seem to recall you being the one to kill me."  
  
Silence again. Sephiroth turned his head away, pulling the blankets off and standing, walking to the window. Aerith furrowed her brow, standing and moving to stand beside him. "You have no idea, do you? You must think I wanted to do that."  
  
"I don't understand much, but there's one thing I do know, and that's that it was Jenova, not you." She sighed. "I'm sorry I said that."  
  
"You're sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for." Sephiroth shook his head and looked at her, "Let's discuss this later. I'm not in the mood right now."  
  
Aerith nodded; it was best not to speak about this now, because it seemed that her return was making Sephiroth more moody than a pregnant chocobo. "Sephiroth, I have one thing to ask—"  
  
"You can sleep in the guest room." He read her mind and she paused, before nodding in agreement.  
  
Indeed, living with Sephiroth was going to be an interesting experience. 


End file.
